The first public informational meeting to discuss the future of Todd County’s historic courthouse will be held at 6:30 p.m Tuesday, Aug. 17, at the Todd County Government Center in downtown Long Prairie.

The decision to hold the meeting earlier than originally planned was made at the county board’s July 20 meeting following discussion by the commissioners about what the November ballot question should be regarding the historic courthouse. The commissioners had planned to make a decision on the ballot question language at their July 20 meeting. However, they decided to listen to public input at the Aug. 17 meeting before deciding on the ballot question wording.

The commissioners will decide on the wording on Aug. 17 following the public discussion. The wording of the question has to be decided no later than Aug. 20. After Aug. 20, the ballots will be readied for printing.

At their July 20 meeting, the commissioners were told that the historic courthouse was sound enough to last for at least another 100 years. They were also presented with a plan to create a space in the historic courthouse for numerous county departments that are now housed on Main Street in Long Prairie, as well as other parts of Long Prairie and Browerville. Under the plan the auditor and treasurer, planning and zoning, public works, soil and water, and solid waste would be combined into an umbrella organization called Tax and Land Services.

The new organization would be housed in the first two floors of the remodeled historic courthouse. The county board room and county administrative offices would be housed in the third floor of the building.

The plan for the use of the building and the longevity estimates were made by Contegrity Group and Collaborative Design Group. Both are consulting companies hired by the County to study options for the courthouse.

The consultants estimated that the remodeling will cost $4.39 million. However, merely demolishing the historic courthouse would cost $350,000, according to the consultants. An additional $50,000 would be needed to relocate the 911 emergency telephone system now housed in the courthouse.

“If we demolish the courthouse we’ll have spent a lot of money and accomplished nothing for county taxpayers,” Commissioner Ruda said.

Building a new facility on the site of the demolished courthouse would cost about the same as remodeling the old courthouse. Demolition and relocating the 911 system would cost at least an additional $400,000.

In a conversation following the county board meeting Ruda said new buildings have an estimated life span of about 40 years.

“The historic courthouse will last as long as three new courthouses,” Ruda said.

Ruda said he’d developed a list of thirteen reasons to preserve and remodel the courthouse. The reasons include preserving and re-using a 120 year old historical building, improving and consolidating county services for taxpayers, ease of access for elderly, low interest rates, and low bids from contractors anxious to find work.

If county voters agree to have the old courthouse remodeled, county borrowing, grants and county reserves will likely pay the cost. A member of the audience at the county board meeting pointed out that taxpayers are already paying for extensive debt at all levels of government.

Planning and zoning

The commissioners sent a request to develop a lot on Lake Osakis back to the planning and zoning commission for reconsideration. The development is intended for use as a clustered sewer system for a group of nearby cabins.

The Leslie Township development had been approved by the planning and zoning commission at its July 6 meeting. But Commissioner Neumann pointed out that Todd County has no regulations regarding large clustered septic systems. Neumann suggested the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency rules on large septic systems be considered as a way to protect Lake Osakis.

Commissioner Ruda, who supported Neumann, pointed out that the Sauk River Watershed District and the Todd County Soil and Water Conservation District had both made comments regarding the development following the planning commission meeting. The planning commission will likely reconsider the permit for the development at its August meeting.

In a separate action the commissioners approved an agreement to pay a retainer to the Iverson Reuvers law firm to provide legal advice on planning and zoning issues. The Rinke Noonan firm had previously been on retainer for planning and zoning issues.

Emergency

declaration

The commissioners asked Mike Wisniewski, county emergency management director, to begin seeking information on the extent of the economic damages caused by hail and windstorms in Todd County during the week of July 12-17. Commissioners said they had either seen, or heard of, crop and property damage in Reynolds, Round Prairie, Little Sauk, Kandota, Bruce and Birchdale townships. Wisniewski was directed to obtain as much information as possible to determine if the commissioners can request that the governor declare Todd County a disaster area.

Sheriff

Sheriff Pete Mikkelson presented his budget and management over view to the commissioners. Mikkelson said he has worked hard to keep expenses down and generate income. He said that he has used the Todd County Detention Center to house prisoners for the state. Minnesota has paid the county $120,000 in the first six months of the year to house inmates.

County Administrator Burkett told the commissioners that Mikkelson had done a good job on keeping expenses down while generating additional revenue.